“Our communities are experiencing unprecedented levels of gun violence. Enough is enough. First Affirmative will continue to avoid investment products that hold positions in firearm manufacturers, and has added screens to avoid retailers that do not meet high standards of care in the sale of these products,” said George Gay, CEO of First Affirmative

The recent shooting incident at a high school in Florida, the latest in a rash of mass killings in the U.S. by a person with a readily available military assault rifle, reinforces my commitments as a financial advisor who specializes in SRI. One of the most important characteristics of socially responsible impact portfolios over the decades has been the avoidance of weapons, that is, of companies that manufacture and distribute weapons - this due in large part to SRI’s historical roots in the progressive religious community, particularly in the sensitivities and values expressed by the Quaker and Mennonite traditions (often referred to as the “peace” churches).